Source: Supplied.

An Australian-first judging system will be incorporated into the inaugural Australian FMX Grand Prix this weekend, seeing a world’s best rider-based judging panel for FMX and Speed and Style, along with Best Whip being judged by the competitors themselves.

The FMX and Speed and Style panel will consist of X Games gold medalists Jackson Strong and Cam Sinclair, along with motorcycle industry regulars Mick Sinclair and Sam Moore.

Riders competing in FMX will be judged based off the following three points of criteria – execution, style and difficulty. Riders will receive eight scored jumps to be completed within 75 seconds, with a further one jump to be provided as a ‘throw away’.

For Speed and Style, a simple arithmetic method has been devised in order to fairly score riders style points along with how quickly they complete their run.

In an Australian first, the Best Whip contest will uniquely see the competing riders vote for their opposition, with the votes that each individual rider receives being tallied at the conclusion of the event and dictating their final finishing position. In the event of a tie in Best Whip, the FMX judge’s decision will break the tie. Riders are not unable to vote for themselves.

Freestyle Motocross legend and AFMXGP judge Cam Sinclair believes the overall judging system is one of, if not the best in the world, with fellow riders and industry personnel being the most knowledgeable about the tricks and all the criteria that makes a trick more or less difficult to execute.

“Best Whip has always been a difficult event to judge,” said Sinclair. “With events around the world struggling to rate traditional whips, with turn-downs, turn-ups and the other variations invented by riders in recent times.

“By asking the riders to choose themselves, they know better than anyone the risk and difficulty associated – and with this format there’s no doubt they’ll be pushing even hard to impress each other, which only means a better show for the fans!”

Throughout the entire 2016 Rolex Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park, fans will be able to catch all the action from the Australian FMX Grand Prix in the Grand Prix’s off-track entertainment precinct, the Action Zone.